The Batman villain trended on social media soon after a “technical issue” disrupted securities activity on the exchange, which denied that the hiccup was the result of a “cyber breach.”

The Internet being the Internet, though, found the humor in the situation as users on Twitter instantly recalled the scene in 2012′s “The Dark Knight Rises” in which the masked Bane (Tom Hardy) and his goons held up the Gotham Stock Exchange. Parts of the scene were actually filmed near the New York Stock Exchange, making the comparison especially resonant. Read More »

There’s a new drug on the street of Gotham City. Its pusher is targeting desperate, poor people. Street hoods. Homeless guitar players. Prostitutes. But this isn’t some “very special episode” of “Gotham.” Instead, it’s the show at its weirdest and most gruesome, delivering some of its biggest laugh lines and most wacked-out images yet.

The narcotic is called “Viper,” but it’s also known by another name, as we learn: “Venom.” Now, of course, Venom becomes a big part of the Batman mythology, as it is the drug that keeps eventual supervillain Bane totally jacked up and full of super strength. We don’t see Bane himself in this episode, but the Venom/Viper, handed out by a disgruntled scientist with a mangled ear, turns plenty of street people into proto-Banes with God complexes. It gives its users a psychedelic view of the world, a massive thirst for milk, strange eyes, darkened veins and the strength to carry an ATM with their bare hands. Read More »

The opening moments of director Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises” premiered last night, seven months before the film is slated to hit theaters. The six-minute prologue introduces viewers to Bane, played by rising British actor Tom Hardy, and follows the supervillain through a series of wild maneuvers on board a chartered plane. The footage also featured snippets of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake and Christian Bale in his starring role as Batman.

While many viewers at the New York event agreed that the footage was breathtaking, some audience members found the prologue a bit confusing, mostly due to Bane’s voice. Hardy’s accent and the character’s mask make the dialogue difficult to follow (some of the people around me at the screening agreed they could not understand Bane). Nolan has told several media outlets that additional recordings will be added to the final product. Read More »

Two weeks ago, actress and singer Patti LuPone grabbed a cell phone out of the hand of an audience member who was texting during a performance of her current play, "Shows for Days." The bold move led to an outpouring of support from fans fed up with glowing screens. Ms. LuPone gives us her five rules of theater etiquette.